Cleaner Station

South Solitary Island

Big Fish, Small Fish. This has All Fish…!!

Cleaner Station is located right on the North eastern point of South Solitary Island. It has a large boulder blocking the entrance to the gutter which is a noted “Cleaner Station”
Cleaning Stations are an area where all species of fish take a break from hunting each other and spend a bit of time, getting a parasite “clean-up” by the resident “Cleaner Wrasse”

Cleaner Station mooring is 12 metres deep at the top of the mooring rock, and is surrounded by similar boulders siting in depths up to 18 metres. This area is known for Large Pelagics including big Kingfish and common sightings of Grey Nurse Sharks in the deeper areas.

Cleaner rock is blocking the entrance of the gutter that leads into Cleaner Cave. This cave is relatively short but offers protection to unusual animals for our area. Oranate ghostpipefish and Angler hand-fish have been sighted here, very unusual for this part of the world!
What you’ll see at Cleaner Station..

What you’ll see at Cleaner Station..

What you see on most dives!

What you might see, if you’re lucky!

Hazards or Dangers

Currents: Depending on the season, Cleaner Station Mooring can be exposed to quite strong currents, this can make it difficult to start and finish the dive in the same location. (the Cleaner Station gutter itself is usually calm) The current usually heads from north to south around the island, and can be too strong to swim against. Cleaner Station on a small current day, is a good mooring to start a drift dive for a long duration. Beware! The current at this point can swing divers around the Eastern side of South Solitary, not the side to drift dive, usually!

Be careful if you are diving from a boat without a surface watch! We do not recommend this in this area with that current!

We usually operate our charter Dive Trips to utilize the currents, not fight them, We start at Shark Gutters or Cleaner Station and drift along the Boulder wall, finishing usually near the Gantry Mooring. This Drift Dive is a favourite of all who join us!